


Into the light

by Saenan



Category: EXO (Band), SHINee
Genre: Alternate Universe - Twins, Angst, Idek...., Other, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-28
Updated: 2016-04-28
Packaged: 2018-06-05 02:20:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6685351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saenan/pseuds/Saenan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Let’s go back home.” The eldest boy suggested</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“But Taemin we haven’t found it yet.” The other protested.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We’ll continue searching tomorrow Jongin. You’re hungry as well, aren’t you?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Into the light

**Author's Note:**

> .... apologies in advance.

Their expectations were high, their search was long. They had lost count of the amount of attempts to reach it and without succeeding even once. Two boys at the age of 9, with the nearly same appearance. At first glance the same, but with a better look one would find the smallest differences in features. Both boys sported a short and messy cut with a fringe reaching their eyelids. Their eyes were gleaming, full of anxiety and desire. The two were seeking a world no living being had ever gone to, a world that may not even be existent. They had been called fools, were mocked endlessy and their desired world had been called a childish fantasy. Yet the young children never gave up and continued their search.

 

“Let’s go back home.” The eldest boy suggested

 

“But Taemin we haven’t found it yet.” The other protested.

 

“We’ll continue searching tomorrow Jongin. You’re hungry as well, aren’t you?”

 

Jongin had fallen silent for a while. Yes, he was hungry. Not to forget tired and wet. He was cold, it had been raining for days and yet the two hadn’t stopped searching. They wouldn’t give up, no matter what it took. Jongin had taken his brother's hand and held onto it with a firm grip. He wouldn’t let go, ever. Taemin was the only one he had and he wouldn’t lose him either. As the two started heading back to their _home_ Jongin's hand started to tremble the closer they got to their destination. The lights of the big wooden hut were on and the muffled booming of voices could be heard even from thag distance. Among them were cries and yells of a female voice, a very familiar one that caused the shivers to run down their spine at that.

 

The twins had almost reached the building when the door opened and the bright light almost blinded the two. Jongin’s eyes were rimmed with tears due to the light but also fear while Taemin eyes fired up in a threathening glare. In the door opening they saw a female standing dressed in a long black dress and a white cap hiding the graying locks of black, with a few escaped plucks framing her wrinkled complexion. The expression on her face would remind one of a scary witch in a fairy tale. And that’s exactly what she was. That woman, the supervisor of the orphanage, was the scary witch in the lives of the twins.

 

“Where have the two of you been?” The voice started, flat and low. It could easily belong to a male. “Don’t tell me you’ve been chasing your ridiculous fantasies again? Didn’t I tell you not to go outside? No wonder the two of you are always left. Get inside and go straight to your room. You missed dinner and you’re not getting any either!" The more words rolled off her tongue, the louder and more scratchy her voice became.

 

They knew that if they even made one sound, their punishment would be bigger, fiercer and of course merciless. They had kept silent and returned to their rooms without having eaten anything since the measly meal that has been their lunch. Their clothes and hair were soaked. The two undressed and wrapped themselves in their blankets huddling close to each other while waiting for their clothes to dry. Jongin had hidden cookies and bread from their guardians as it wasn’t allowed to have food in your room. As the two children were eating their make shift meal for the evening they discussed about their search.

 

“Tomorrow! Tomorrow we will definitely find it.” Taemin assured his little brother in conclusion.

 

And with those reassuring words, both fell asleep silently.

 

The next morning came and the two were woken up by the shouting of the voice they both hated through the intercom. The sound that irked them even more than the hideous scratching of nails against a blackboard. They hated it so much that they’d do everything to silence it. After washing up and going to the dining hall to eat their breakfast, both had to see the head of the orphanage. He was old, in his sixties, but gentle. Both Taemin and Jongin liked him, he felt like a typical grandfather to them. Following their guardian, the twins entered the office and gazed at a large classic wooden desk with a big white haired man sitting behind it. He was smiling, he always smiled.

 

“Take a seat children.” He told him.

 

His voice was gentle, yet direct and strict. The two heads nodded and made their way to the wooden chairs in front of the desk.

 

“I heard you two went out again yesterday.”

 

Jongin’s eyes fell down. He didn’t like the disappointment in his eyes. He always used to his proud smiles whenever he received a good grade or kicked the ball in the goal and praise him when he did things right, but the disappointment was paining him.

 

“Yes.” Taemin had answered confidently.

 

“Did you find anything?” He had asked again.

 

This time Taemin’s eyes fell down and Jongin knew that he had the responsibility to reply this time.

 

“No.”

 

His voice was low, almost in a whisper when he had replied. The two heard the old man sigh. A sigh of disappointment, or worry? They didn’t know and didn’t want to know. They had enough of people looking down at them because of what they believed. They didn’t want to listen to them anymore. The two were smart enough to make decisions and act according to them. 

 

“You know that you broke the rules, don’t you?”

 

The two boys didn’t move their eyes from the floor and just nodded in response, completely in silence.

 

“You two can’t go outside today. You can’t leave the sisters’ sights, am I clear?”

 

Even when giving punishments his voice was gentle. Jongin’s eyes began to fill with tears as his brother hopped to his feet from the chair. He took his younger brother's hand and turned away from the old man. They left the room and headed for their dormitory. Taemin dove under his bed and took out a backpack too large for his frame. He told Jongin to gather everything they would need and the younger followed the command. Once the backpack was filled they hid it under the bed again. It wasn't time yet.

 

“We’ll leave this afternoon when we’re on cleaning duty. We’ll come back here and go through that window.” Taemin instructed as he pointed at the window of the room.

 

“But this is the second floor.” Jongin objected.

 

He was afraid of heights and jumping would be their death, he was smart enough to know that.

 

“We’ll climb into the big oak.” Taemin had said.

 

“But...” Jongin wanted to object. It was dangerous, way too dangerous and the two were just kids. The realisation dawned on him as his feet grew colder. Upon his hand being grabbed, the youngest startled a little. The boy glanced at his brother whom seemed to be smiling at him. It was his reassuring smile that didn't reach his eyes. The smile that said “Everything will be okay!” to the boy, the smile he hated, because it always convinced him even when he knew that his older brother had more doubts than he did. The boy nodded and squeezed his brother's hand as he was holding back the tears. He wouldn't cry, not this time.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It was finally time. The two had managed to get out of the sisters’ eyeline and they were probably looking for them by now. Taemin had hurried to grab the bag and opened the window while Jongin mentally measured the jump. The wind was strong and it was still raining, but they had to go. A bit of water wouldn’t stop them from reaching their goal, for finding what they have been looking for this long. He just had to think of it as their water fights and jungle expeditions in the shower. They would finally find it today. How long had they been searching now? A few months, a year, maybe two? It didn’t matter to them, as long as they find it.

 

“Let’s hurry!” Taemin told Jongin. “I’ll go first to catch you when you jump.”

 

It wasn’t the first time he had jumped into that tree, but Jongin was still worried. In this weather, it was dangerous. The wind was strong enough to blow away the tree, let alone the thin and light body of his brother. And when Taemin jumped the younger thought his heart had skipped not one but several beats. Of course the boy had reached the tree and it took the younger at least 5 seconds of Taemin ushering him to jump to be able to breathe again.The first stable branch was about a meter away from the window. When Taemin had reached it, he hung the loaded backpack on another branch and climbed back close to the tree to catch his little brother.

 

“Come on!” He had shouted as he reached out his hands.

 

Taemin was already soaked from being outside for a few minutes. His hair was sticking to his face as thick drops ran down his reddening cheeks and the insides of the backpack wouldn’t be dry for long either. Behind Jongin the door opened with a slam and in the opening there was a little boy standing. His name was Tao and he was a real bully, donning raven black hair and cat-like eyes full of mischief. The boy opened his mouth and a loud voice hollered.

 

“SISTER! The twins are trying to escape again!”

 

Jongin’s heart skipped another beat as he heard running steps down the hall. The boy glanced at his brother who was shouting at him to hurry up. The younger climbed out of the window while hanging onto the frame and glanced at the ground once, it was high and he was scared. A few tears escaped his eyes, their heat burning the cold skin. It didn’t take long for him to hear the shouts of the voice he _loathed_ behind him. That voice was the push he needed. Without more hesitation the boy jumped into the arms of his brother.

 

People gathered below them under the big oak. There was no way they could climb down without being caught. They found a way to climb from tree to tree over the big fences that kept them locked in the little world they had lived in for the past 3 years. The fences that would only open when the mailman was here or the big truck arrived. Those were the moments that the two used to escape and continue their search. They weren’t far from the orphanage when the two saw a light below the seventh tree. Jongin stopped and gazed at it for a moment.

 

“Hey Taemin... didn’t grandma say that mama and papa had gone to the light? Maybe that’s where they are?” he proposed.

 

Listening to his brother’s words and staring at the light below them, it all made sense. Grandma did say that and that’s where their parents should be, beyond the light. Taemin took his brother’s hand and in response Jongin squeezed back. A serene smile had spread on both faces.

 

“Let’s go.” Both said in unison.

 

And with that both jumped down the centuries old high oak. As Taemin’s right hand was holding Jongin’s left hand and their free hands were reaching out to the light, both of them closed their eyes. They had found it, they could finally be reunited with their beloved parents, beyond the light.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

October 12th 2009, Seoul

9 year old orphans Taemin and Jongin were found dead below a tree next the highway xxx around 8 PM. Cranberry Orphanage had reported them missing several hours earlier. Several escaping attempts were reported before the incident...

 


End file.
